The market can provide big clues to finding winners at Royal Ascot, whether it’s the favourites or an each-way fancy.
First up, the favourites.
FAVOURITES
Having shown a loss from 2016 to 2021, favourites at Royal Ascot struck back in three of the last four years.
A change in ground may have made an impact in that sway of results as it was on the soft side from 2016 to 2021 prior to traditional fast ground since.
Royal Ascot Favs
Yr | Ground | W-R | Strike-rate | £1 | Non-Hcp | H'cap | 2yo | 3yo | 4yo+ |
25 | Good to firm | 14-36 | 39% | +9 | 9-24 | 5-12 | 3-6 | 4-14 | 7-16 |
24 | Good to firm | 12-38 | 32% | +3 | 9-24 | 3-14 | 2-6 | 3-15 | 7-17 |
23 | Good to firm | 8-35 | 23% | -8 | 5-23 | 3-12 | 1-6 | 5-14 | 2-15 |
22 | Good to firm | 14-39 | 36% | +7 | 11-25 | 3-14 | 2-6 | 9-15 | 3-18 |
21 | Soft | 9-37 | 24% | -8 | 8-25 | 1-12 | 1-6 | 4-14 | 4-17 |
20 | Good & Soft | 9-39 | 23% | -11 | 7-24 | 2-15 | 2-6 | 2-14 | 5-19 |
19 | Soft | 8-32 | 25% | -4 | 6-24 | 2-8 | 2-7 | 1-11 | 5-14 |
18 | Good to firm | 7-32 | 22% | -7 | 5-24 | 2-8 | 1-6 | 3-11 | 3-15 |
17 | Good to firm | 7-31 | 23% | -12 | 6-23 | 1-8 | 1-7 | 3-11 | 3-13 |
16 | Soft | 8-34 | 24% | -12 | 7-25 | 1-9 | 3-6 | 3-12 | 2-16 |
Favourite backers will want the pattern to continue from recent years, with days three and four (Thursday & Friday) doing best during the last four years for a collective record of: 21-62 (+14) A/E 1.14.
Other patterns to look out for regarding the jollies are as follows:
Royal Ascot Favs - last 5 years
Race | W-R | Strike-rate | £1 | A/E |
Group 1 | 16-41 | 39% | +3 | 1.02 |
Group 2 | 14-44 | 32% | -5 | 0.95 |
Group 3 | 5-17 | 29% | +3 | 0.99 |
Listed | 4-17 | 24% | -7 | 0.79 |
Non-major | 18-72 | 25% | +4 | 1.09 |
Royal Ascot favourites - Group 1 (last 5 years)
Last time out (UK only) | W-R | Strike-rate | £1 | A/E |
Won | 43-113 | 38% | +28 | 1.20 |
Beaten | 13-68 | 19% | -26 | 0.71 |
Royal Ascot favourites - won last time out (UK only)
Age | W-R | Strike-rate | £1 | A/E |
2yo | 8-25 | 32% | -4 | 0.97 |
3yo | 19-43 | 44% | +27 | 1.55 |
4yo | 9-29 | 31% | -2 | 0.92 |
5yo+ | 7-16 | 44% | +7 | 1.27 |
SECOND FAVOURITES
As for value seekers looking at the second favourite then let’s take a look at where the favoured areas lurk.
Royal Ascot Second Favs
Yr | Ground | W-R | Strike-rate | £1 | Non-Hcp | H'cap | 2yo | 3yo | 4yo+ |
25 | Good to firm | 0-36 | 0% | -54 | 0-25 | 0-12 | 0-6 | 0-14 | 0-16 |
24 | Good to firm | 5-34 | 15% | -7 | 4-23 | 1-11 | 0-6 | 3-13 | 2-15 |
23 | Good to firm | 3-34 | 9% | -20 | 3-22 | 0-12 | 1-7 | 1-11 | 1-16 |
22 | Good to firm | 6-32 | 19% | 0 | 4-22 | 2-10 | 1-7 | 3-11 | 2-14 |
21 | Soft | 7-39 | 18% | +9 | 5-26 | 2-13 | 1-9 | 3-14 | 3-16 |
20 | Good & Soft | 4-35 | 11% | -15 | 3-23 | 1-12 | 1-6 | 2-13 | 1-16 |
19 | Soft | 8-35 | 23% | +5 | 8-27 | 0-8 | 2-6 | 2-13 | 4-16 |
18 | Good to firm | 5-32 | 16% | -5 | 5-24 | 0-8 | 0-6 | 2-13 | 3-13 |
17 | Good to firm | 11-34 | 32% | +27 | 10-21 | 1-13 | 1-5 | 5-15 | 5-14 |
16 | Soft | 3-31 | 10% | -11 | 2-23 | 1-8 | 0-6 | 1-12 | 2-13 |
A glance at the above will send a shiver down the spine of second favourite backers as they blanked during the entire five days here at 0-36.
The one way of looking at that is surely they can’t perform as badly this time around, but punters should be on guard, though once again there are specific areas that proved more receptive to second favourites such as in Group 3 races.
Royal Ascot Second Favs - last 5 years
Race | W-R | Strike-rate | £1 | A/E |
Group 1 | 6-42 | 14% | -13 | 0.67 |
Group 2 | 4-41 | 10% | -15 | 0.50 |
Group 3 | 5-16 | 31% | +14 | 1.56 |
Listed | 0-13 | 0% | -13 | 0 |
Non-major | 6-63 | 10% | -26 | 0.59 |
EACH-WAY HOT SPOTS
The final section of this chapter simply lists which Royal Ascot events provided a good opportunity for each-way players eyeing the bigger odds.
Royal Ascot placed runners - last 5 years
Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes 8-1 to 18-1:
12 placed from 33 runners - each-way return +£37
Jersey Stakes 14-1 to 40-1:
9 placed from 34 runners - each-way return +£34
Ribblesdale Stakes 9-2 to 12-1:
9 placed from 32 runners - each-way return +£16
Tercentenary Stakes 7-1 to 14-1:
10 placed from 21 runners - each-way return +£12
Kensington Palace Stakes 13-2 to 12-1:
11 placed from 31 runners - each-way return +£10
Norfolk Stakes 6-1 to 14-1:
9 placed from 23 runners - each-way return +£9
Duke of Edinburgh Stakes 17-2 to 25-1
14 placed from 38 runners - each-way return +£8
Buckingham Palace Stakes 16-1 to 25-1:
10 placed from 37 runners - each-way return +£3